


From Riches to Rags

by SamuelSadi



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-22
Updated: 2016-08-01
Packaged: 2018-07-26 01:14:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,489
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7554487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SamuelSadi/pseuds/SamuelSadi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Pacifica, loses everything, then is abandoned by her parents all in the same day. All because she couldn't be bothered to help an elderly lady in need. She must learn a lesson, or two, before the curse will be lifted. But with her attitude, that might be a bit more difficult than imagined.</p><p>This was a challenge issued by Burke23.</p><p>The challenge was inspired by these two songs, The Times They Are A-Changin' and Like A Rolling Stone, both by Bob Dylan.</p><p>THis is the first chapter of the challenge. Let me know what you think.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

AVAVA  
( Pacifica Northwest )  
VAVAV

Stores upon stores, of clothing, shoes, make-up, electronics... anything her heart desired. That was the best thing about the mall. Anything she could ever want, was at her fingertips. What made it even better, was that she could have anything she wanted... anything she didn't want. It was almost like a game to her. 

If she knew someone else wanted it, and couldn't afford it. She got it, simply because she could. What was the point in having all that money from her mother and father, if she wasn't going to use it? If she wasn't going to show the town, that she could? There wouldn't be a point, none at all. 

Shopping out with her friends, should have been a fun outing for any teenaged girl. There was nothing in the mall, well, not anything that she would be interested in. It wasn't her fault, that she lived in a small, weird little town, that was basically broke. If they wanted more money and nicer things, they should get better jobs. Maybe then, the stores could sell better stuff.

“So, did you find anything good?” Tiffany asked, looking through the clothing on the rack.

“Yeah right, like I'd find anything I'd want here.” She scoffed at her friend, who laughed. It was painfully obvious that the girl hung around her, solely for her parents money. Not that she really minded, since Tiffany was the only person, close enough to her social class, that her parents approved of, and saying she was close in social class, was a major over statement. Tiffany was the same as everyone else in Gravity Falls. But Pacifica liked her, for some reason. “Maybe I should just stick to shopping online. At least I can find something there. Remind me why we even bother coming here again?”

“We come to hang out, get food, shop, and boys of course.” Tiffany said distractedly, the girl was busy looking as something that seemed to have caught her eye. But was too embarrassed to admit it. Back to why they were there. The hanging out, could be done anywhere. Food, if you could call most of what was sold in this mall, food, could be found in better places. Shopping, well she already established that online shopping would be more functional. Then to boys, she had to roll her eyes. 

Boys... the boys in Gravity Falls were grubby, dirty, poor creatures. Like she'd really be interested in any of the boys... other than if she needed anything moved, or built, or repainted. Or some other form of manual labor.

“If we are supposed to be hanging out, and looking for food, shopping, and boys... then why in the Hell, did we come to the mall?” Pacifica rolled her eyes again. “Seriously, we'd stand a better chance at the local, department store... wait... that's right, this town doesn't have one, just a knock off mall, with knock off stores.

“Yeah... we should go.” Tiffany mumbled as she took another look at the item she had been admiring.

“Yeah lets go.” Pacifica snapped her fingers, knowing that her 'friend' would surely follow. 

AVAVA

“Butler should be here in a few minutes.” Pacifica said as she looked at the pillars at the front of the mall. Much to dirty to lean on. Especially since her outfit probably cost more than the pillar. Then muttered, “They should really clean this place up.”

She turned her attention to the parking lot. People coming and going, always coming and going. She couldn't see the appeal of this place... then again, she came here, weekend after weekend, during the school year. Then she would hang around most of the time during the Summer. Maybe that's why the others came and went. Because it was pretty much the only place to go.

“Excuse me, Miss.” Pacifica turned to look at an elderly women, dressed in a dirty black dress. She looked completely dirty, even had dirt on her wrinkled face. Why was someone like this even talking to her? She was Pacifica Northwest. “Could I trouble you for cab fair. See, I lost my wallet, and I promise to repay you, if you give me an address to send it too.”

“Um... let me think about it... No. Just keep moving grandma.” Pacifica scoffed, and turned away from the lady.

“Miss, Please. It's important that I get back home. I've had a rough...”

“Listen, I said, no. N. O. No.” Pacifica huffed in annoyance. Really, why did this lady have to bother her, of all the people in the parking lot.

“If the shoe were on the other foot, I wouldn't treat you like this.” The old women said in a stern voice.

“Well the shoe isn't on the other foot. Not even close, and it'll never be. So leave me alone! Oh good, there's Butler. Later grandma.” Pacifica said as she got into the back of her limo, with Tiffany close behind.

“The shoe might not be on the other foot now... but tomorrow? The next day? No one knows.” The lady said before the Pacifica slammed the door shut. 

“Back to the Manor, Butler.” Pacifica huffed.

“Was it really necessary to...”

“Yes Tiffany. Yes! She shouldn't go around panhandling. It's a scam, you know. She'll give that same excuse to everyone she comes across. It's pathetic.” Pacifica just looked out the window.

She felt a little odd. 

Might have been the food they ate.

Maybe she just wasn't feeling good.

But she knew one thing.

She didn't feel guilty. Not in the least bit.

AVAVA

Pacifica took a deep breath as she sat up in her nice warm bed. Such a wonderful life, she thought to herself, as she stretched. No one else in town could even understand the joys of her life. She pitied them for that, though not enough to actually do anything about it. Even if she wanted to, what could she do? 

Nothing, which is what she did.

She cast her gaze around the room, trying to figure out what she was going to do today. Her eyes went from item to item, picture to picture. Then fell on the elderly lady sitting at her desk, calmly looking as if she was supposed to be there. Her eyes continued on, at least until her still, partially asleep brain, relaid what was wrong with the picture.

“Ahh,” She squealed, as her eyes went back to the older women that had, somehow, managed to break into her house. 

“Why there you are, my dear young friend.” The Elderly women looked at her, as if she hadn't been staring at her.

“What... what in the Hell are you doing in my room, in my house for that matter?” She felt strangely calm, even though she knew that she should be afraid of this stranger... why wasn't she afraid?

“My dear dear young friend. All your misgivings will soon come to an end. See you like to play, and you like to spend. Though when it comes to beggers, you sure dislike to lend.” The lady seemed to look through her, and not at her. “Beware Friend, your skating by in life is about to end.”

 

“What in the Hell are you talking about?” Pacifica asked, still feeling strangely calm about this entire encounter.

“Well my dear, you need to learn a lesson, I fear. So for now, I'll take what you hold dear.” She said, just as cryptically, without even answering her questions. Just like the first time.

“I'm pretty sick, of these sad attempts at rhyming.” Pacifica shouted, “Just tell me what the Hell you want. You seriously broke in here, because I didn't give you cab fare, or whatever it was that you wanted?”

“Plainly, young Miss?” Finally the lady seemed to actually respond to her, “I'll tell you plainly, since you don't seem to understand. You have it all, and want for nothing. But still you are so spoiled, you can't even help anyone, but yourself. So, soon you'll see what it's like to have nothing. And for things to return to normal, you must learn a lesson. A real lesson.”

One by one, things in her room seemed to vanish. That caught her attention. Her bed, her dresser, her shelves and pictures. Her clothing that she had shredded the night before, that had laid strewn around the place, vanished as well. Everything was vanishing, now that got her attention as she tossed off her comforter, and sheets, and squealed in frustration as they to vanished, before they even hit the ground. 

“Listen. I don't know what you are doing! Or what you ar-ahhh.” She screamed out as her bottom made contact with the hard wooden floor of her room. Even her bed disappeared! “Stop it! STOP!”

“STOP!” Pacficia yelled as she sat up in bed. Everything was just where it was supposed to be. 

What a horrible nightmare.

AVAVA

An odd morning to say the least, Pacifica thought as she at her breakfast, three days after her visit to the mall. Breakfast was normal, the manor seemed normal, even Butler acted normal. What was different, were her parents. They had actually communicated with her this morning. Talked to her, told her they were going away on a vacation. 'They' meaning her parents. At least she didn't have that dream again. It had been plaguing her since... maybe she was over it.

Not very odd that they were going. Na, it was odd that they had bothered telling her they were going. Normally she found out from Butler, or one of the other staff. She hadn't actually seen any of the other staff that day. Maybe they finally got the lead out, and finished doing... whatever they had been supposed to be doing. Who knows? Who cared?

Bzzt! Bzzt! Bzzt!

She checked her phone...

Ugh! Who gave him her number, she thought as she read the text.

'Hey Pacifica, it's Dipper. Just got into Gravity Falls, for the Summer. Thought that we might be able to hang out or something.' What a loser, like she would ever... ever want to hang around with him. 

Why would she want to?

He was nobody, he was nothing. I bet Mabel gave him the number, smiling, because she truly believed her brother had a chance. She should have never given her number to Mabel. Then again, Mabel was the only other girl that she knew, that was good at mini golf. Even then, she had only given the number to Mabel, so Mabel could text her, if she was going to the mini golf course... that was it.

But Mabel Pine... She was so upbeat, and optimistic, that she couldn't believe that her brother, didn't have a chance. Honestly, the girl was hard to even be around. How could anyone handle that insanely, upbeat, attitude all the time?

Maybe she should just go to that new fast-food place with Tiffany. Neither of them had been there yet, and it was supposed to be really good. But she didn't know if it was really good, or just good by Gravity Fall's standards.

AVAVA

She finished walking up the long driveway up to her house. She had been pretty full when she started walking, but now that she had reached her destination, she was hungry again. And not just hungry. She was sweaty, smelly, and dirty.

It had started off rough. They had went to the fast-food place, and ordered their food. Pacifica slid her card, only for it to be declined. Insane, her cards were never declined. She could literally buy a house, and it wouldn't be declined, so a freaking burger, should be no issue. After several swipes, Tiffany paid for it, that her father had gotten an unexpected promotion and she had extra. And Pacifica, begrudging laid she would pay her back

Not that money was an issue, no. But it was the embarrassment that made her peeved.

It wasn't just the burger joint, other stores declined her card. Maybe the strip was going bad...

After finally giving up, she went to call Butler to pick them up, only he never answered. She had been mad. To say the very least. At least she had in the beginning of her journey. Now that she had reached her destination, nearly four hours after leaving her house, she walked through the gates. To find...

Trucks in her driveway, though that wasn't normally unusual, her parents bought things all the time, and had them shipped in. Only this time, things were not going out of the trucks, they were going into them.

“What the hell are you all doing?” Pacifica just looked at the men, who had stopped when she yelled. Flashes of her dreams came back to her. It couldn't be... it just couldn't.

“Miss Pacifica.” Butler's voice called from behind her. “Your parents seem to have emptied their bank accounts. And left the country. It seems that they owe a large, very large, sum of money to the Government, which is now... seizing your parents assets.

“That's impossible! Daddy has a lot of money! There's no way he could owe someone money! People owe money to him.” She just looked at Butler. This had to be some kind of joke... all of this. The card not working, having to walk up here, these movers... None of this was real. “I'm going inside.”

AVAVA

An hour later, she sat outside the gates to her manor. Or former manor. With a couple of suitcases, and a carry bag, that the repo-men, said they would pretend never existed, nor the stuff she packed into them.

They pitied her. That was wrong!

That was disgusting!

She pitied other people, they didn't pity her.

Butler had left. She didn't know where he was going. Didn't really care. She tried calling her parents cell phones, but neither of them answered. There was a mistake. Had to be a mistake. But until the mistake was fixed, where was she going to go? Everything was changing, and she didn't like change... not like this. She had no money. She had no home. And it felt horrible. 

Tiffany didn't answer her phone.

Amanda didn't either.

Where was she going to stay?

“Miss?” She turned and looked at the truck that was now stopped next to her.

“What?” She said, trying to keep her voice from cracking.

“Wanted to know if you wanted a ride down, it's a pretty far walk with all that.” The driver said, looking at her. She turned to looked at the three suitcases, and carry bag. There was no way she could carry it all by herself, it had taken her two trips to carry the stuff here.

“If... if you d-don't mind.” She muttered softly, and she grabbed her bag, and one of the suitcases.

“Let me get the other two for you.” He said, as he got out the truck, picked up the other two, and put them into the cab of the truck. 

“Thanks.” The word seemed foreign to her... mainly because she couldn't remember a time where she had actually thanked anyone before. 

AVAVA  
( Dipper Pines )  
VAVAV

“Dipper! Come look at the TV. Hurry!” Mabel called from the living room, of the Shack. Not one to keep his sister waiting, since she tended to get pretty grumpy if he did, he hurried into the living room. “Look!”

“What am I supposed to be lookin...” He looked at the TV, which happened to be on the news... no telling why his sister was watching the news. But it was Priscilla, and Preston Northwest, on the television. “The hell?”

“The Northwests went bankrupt! Can you believe that? Oh and they up and vanished.” Mabel said looking back at her brother. Can you believe that? This happened like last week, even.”

“Last week? Can't be. I saw Pacifica, yesterday. Didn't talk to her of course, but I did see her.” Dipper insisted.

Now that he though about it, she had looked a little odd. Even now he couldn't quite put his finger on it. Something had been wrong with the girl. What was it?

She was in her normal clothing. A little wrinkled, but that could have been from anything. She wasn't dirty... she just looked... less shiny? Na, that couldn't be it. See, Dipper had a crush on Pacifica, and she always looked good to him. So that couldn't be it. She had been walking out of a store... no, a Pawn Shop. Not a place that Pacifica would go.

“The news doesn't lie, Dipster... well not the Gravity Falls news, nothing that exciting happens here... well that they know about.” Mabel said, changing the channel. 

“Hey, isn't there a motel, near Greasy's?” 

“Uh-yup. It should be like right across the street, next to that pawn place.” Her attention never left the television. “You know, the one you like to look in?”

“Thanks Mabel.” He never noticed a motel next to the pawnshop that he went to, then again, he never bothered looking. He have never needed a motel. Didn't matter. He had other things to do.

'You there Pacifica?' He typed and sent the message into his phone, to Pacifica. While he looked for his shoes. 

Why is it, your shoes are never where you remember leaving them? And when you find them, you don't remember taking them off there, even though, they look like they were taken off there. Either that, or when you find them, they look as if you did the splits to take them off, considering how far apart they are.

If Pacifica's parents skipped town, but Pacifica was still here, did that mean she was abandoned? Okay so their daughter was mean spirited, and snotty, and sometimes rude... wait... what was his point? Oh yeah, she was still their daughter, and there was good inside her... somewhere, he just knew it.

Yeah, so that seemed like something Mabel would say, and not him. But then again, he did have a crush on her, and love... it works in mysterious ways. And Mysterious, was the way of life in Gravity Falls.

“I'm heading out, you want anything, Mabs” He asked, knowing that he shouldn't have.

“Yep, gummy bears. Chips, salt and vinegar, not sour cream and onion. Soda. And... a candy bar, doesn't matter what kind, as long as it doesn't have nuts.” She called from the living room.

“Alright!” 

“Tell Paz I said hi!” She called right before the door closed. While it wasn't a secret, and he had been pretty obvious where he was going. He hadn't thought she was paying enough attention to know he was going to see Pacifica.

AVAVA

“Excuse me.” Dipper said, standing at the counter, of the motel. The reason he hadn't noticed it before, was because, it looked like it used to be some kind of apartment building... or something that had been converted into a hotel style, motel. Without all the niceties of a hotel.

“Another kid needing a room? What in the Hell are wrong with these parents?” The middle aged lady mumbled to herself.

“Ma'am, that other kid... It wouldn't be a girl, with blonde hair, and blue eyes, would it?” Dipper asked, ignoring the fact that at fifteen, he was still called a kid.

“Why yes. She sure it. Sad to see her go, she said something about having to leave in a few days or something.” The lady just straightened up. “So, you need a room?”

“No... I don't need a room, so much as a room number. Which one is her's? Pacifica's?” Dipper asked.

“Oh, are you her little boyfriend?” Dipper ignored the 'little' comment, and stuffed it back with the 'kid' comment.

“No... I'm a friend, and she's friends with my sister.”

“Ahh, well she's in room 12, right down the hall, sixth door on the right. She just got back not long before you got here. She looked kind of down.”

“Thanks!” He started down the hallway, counting the rooms on the right. “Six, eight, ten, and twelve.” He knocked on the door.

“Who is it?” Pacifica's voice came from the other side of the door.

“It's Dipper.”

“Go away.”

“I'm not going anywhere until you open up.” Dipper said.

“I'm not coming out.” Pacifica muttered. “So get comfortable, dork.”

“Fine.” He sat down, and pulled one of the soda's that he had bought for Mabel out of the bag he held, and opened it. “I got all day...”

He pulled out his cellphone, looking through his contacts, until he found his sister's name.

'Mabel, I'm gonna be here a while, she'd being stubborn.'

'No prob, gonna be out all night?'

'Depends on if she opens the door or not.'

'If your not back, I'll cover for you Bro-Bro'

“...and all night.” He muttered after getting confirmation that his sister would cover for him, he could be there all night, and the next day, if he needed to. Actually he planned to be there, for as long as it took to get the stubborn girl to open the door. He didn't actually know why he cared if she did or not.

The girl was mean.

She was hateful, and spiteful.

Not to mention that she looked down on just about everyone she ever met.

Even so, she still didn't deserve this. She didn't deserve to be left by her family.

AVAVA

The battery to his phone had died an hour ago, and the snacks and stuff that Mabel had asked for had been all but consumed. And he wondered, if Mabel requested them, knowing that he would be here for a while. Or if he had just been lucky like that. Then again luck had never really been on his side... luck normally hated him. 

He stood up, and stretched, trying to get the blood circulating back to his legs again.

Four hours. He'd been sitting here for, four hours. That girl was as stubborn as Mabel, Wendy, Soos, and his Gruncle Stan, combined.

He sighed standing up.

“You win. I'm going home, for now, I'll be back.” Dipper said to the door, and left.


	2. Chapter 2

AVAVA

( Pacifica Northwest )

VAVAV

She leaned against the door, opposite from where Dipper had been sitting. She had wanted to let him in, she really had wanted to. Her friends were not answering her calls, or text messages. She still hadn't been able to get in contact with her parents. She wouldn't mind company... she really wanted company.

Getting up, she went through her carry bag. Looking at the jewelery that she had left. Normally, she would be able to pawn more items and be able to gain more money. However, the pawn shop told her the last time, that they wouldn't buy anymore items from her. Not that they weren't worth it, just no one in Gravity Falls could afford to buy any of it. Which mean, while it was worth the money, if no one had the money to buy them, then it became worthless.

Fanning through the money that she had... she only had enough for a couple more days, then what would she do...?

She had never been in this situation before.

Never even imagined that it could happen.

It was that old lady! She had to be the cause of this, somehow!

What could she do about it?

AVAVA

She drug her belongings out of the motel. Trying to figure out what her next move would be. She was in a situation that was foreign to her.

Didn't have a place that she could sleep.

Barely had enough enough money to feed herself, that was was for the next couple of days... after that? She didn't have a clue.

The only thing that she could be thankful for, was the fact that it was summer, and it wasn't freezing cold outside.

"This sucks." She muttered to herself, as she continued to drag her belongings behind her, with no real destination in mind, she just continued walking, hoping that something would come her way.

"Alright you dirty old hag." Pacifica muttered, knowing that the woman couldn't hear her. But still, she just knew that she had to be the reason for all of this. This had to be that old ladies' doing. "You took everything. Now what?"

"Now? Nothing." The ladies' voice echoed off the walls of the buildings around her, causing Pacifica to jump. She hadn't expected an answer. "This is the beginning. A lesson must be learned."

"What's the lesson?" Pacifica turned, finding no one behind her. She cast her gaze around, finding no one to talk to, maybe she was going insane.

"It'll come," The voice came again, with no source.

"What are you?" Pacifica muttered.

"People have called me many things. Witch, Sorceress, Devil, Demon, many things. But what I am?" The voice seemed to ponder, "You'll find out, maybe."

"So lets get this freaking test started!" She yelled. And waited for a reply.

"It already has started. Best I can do is to offer you good luck." The voice faded, and didn't continue.

Pacifica guessed that it didn't matter if the voice continued, she didn't really have anymore questions... well not any that the lady would answer anyways. And if the lady did, then it would be answered in riddle, and not in any way that could be understood. The elderly woman, must be from Gravity Falls... or was from Gravity Falls.

Was the woman alive, or was she a spirit? Or demon, she did say she was a demon...

All Pacifica knew, was that everything was starting to hurt her head.

AVAVA

It had been a six months since her entire world fell apart, and no one seemed to really care. Except Dipper, and she spent most of her time hiding from him, or trying to do various odd jobs to earn money to eat, or buy various things that she needed.

Halloween had passed, not that Gravity Falls celebrated it. They seemed to be stuck on Summerween.

She pulled her blanket tighter around herself, sitting on a couch, in a small cabin. The cabin had been abandoned, a few years before. She wasn't sure exactly how long it had been empty. It had been dirty, and a couple of the windows had been broken. It might have once been a fishing cabin, since it didn't have any bedrooms. The only other rooms were the bathroom, and the kitchen. Considering the kitchen didn't have a wall, or door dividing it from the living area, she didn't know if you'd call it a room or not.

That didn't matter so much. She had patched the windows, the best she could with what little she could afford. And cleaned everything that had been in the cabin. Which was the couch, that was her bed, a little coffee table. There was no TV, then again, she didn't have power, so that didn't matter much. There was also a small dining room table and a few chairs, but she normally ate at the coffee table. She didn't have company, so the other table didn't really matter.

She looked over at the fireplace. She got up from the couch, and moved closer to the warmth of the fireplace. She leaned down and tossed a couple of logs onto the fire. She winced as she let go of the logs. She looked down at the blisters on her hands, then returned to the couch.

She hadn't ever needed to worry about anything before, and now that winter had set in, she had to figure out how to stay warm, and not freeze to death. Since she didn't make nearly enough for electricity, with her odd jobs. She had to go with the only other option. The fireplace. Which needed wood. Which meant she had to cut up the wood that she found around the cabin. Which resulted in blisters for using a tool, she wasn't used to.

Next year... if she even survived this year. She would see if Wendy's dad could cut down a couple of trees, and maybe help her cut them up into logs for the next winter. Though she wasn't even sure if she would live through this one. And honestly? Freezing to death, seemed like a good end, to a bad situation.

The Demon hadn't returned. Hadn't returned since Summer ended. It had been odd. It disappeared about the same time Dipper and Mabel went home. She only noticed, because suddenly, she didn't have to hide, from either of them. Not that she had been able to hide from the Demon.

"There you are, my dear, little, friend." Pacifica jumped at the sound of the Demon Lady's voice. Did she think about the demon one too many times? What the hell?

"What do you want?" Pacifica called out to the room, that seemed to be void of anything living, other than her. Though she knew it wasn't. She was there... somewhere, Pacifica just didn't know where.

"I've let you be, because you couldn't learn your lesson before now." The voice came from no where, and everywhere. "But, now you've another chance. Another chance to learn."

"I don't understand what you want. Why can't you just tell me what you freaking want! Teach me my lesson! Or kill me! Just do something. I can't stand this anymore!" She cried, pulling the blanket tighter around herself.

She never knew that she could hurt inside so much. And it wasn't the stuff she had lost, or had to sell so she could eat. Yeah, alright. So, at one point in time, she would have been annoyed by losing all that stuff. But at the moment, she didn't care. She only cared about being able to eat, and staying warm. She didn't even care about some stupid lesson.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

She looked over to the door. No one came to visit her. No one even knew she lived there. She didn't want anyone to see, just how far, she had fallen. She might have gotten over a lot of things, but she still had her pride. Without her pride, she'd be nothing. She couldn't give that up.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

She slowly got up, and started towards the door.

"I swear... if you're messing with me, you old hag." She muttered before reaching the door. "Hello?"

"Pacifica?" A familiar voice called from the other side. Couldn't be though. He'd left at the end of Summer. So there was no way this was Dipper Pines. "I know you're in there. Susan told me you were here."

Damn Susan. Pacifica had actually thought she could trust the older women

"What are you doing here?" Pacifica asked.

"Freezing, if you don't let me in." He said blandly. It was almost tempting to just let him freeze out there. Well if he did freeze, it would serve him right. Seeing as all he would have had to do, was to just go home.

"Fine!" She sighed. She didn't know where this feeling was coming from, but she actually wanted company. She hadn't wanted to, so much as, talk to anyone in months, not since he had left. And now... she just felt like she needed someone to talk to. She opened the door, long enough to let Dipper in, then closed it back behind him. Man it was getting colder out there. "What do you want? What are you even doing here?"

"I came to see you." He said looking at her. And it annoyed her. That wasn't what she meant, and he knew it!

"That's not what I meant. What are you doing, here, in Gravity Falls. Shouldn't you be back home!" She was frustrated. Why did he have to come back, the same time that Demon came back. Was he the cause of it?

That's stupid, she thought, how could Dipper be the cause of the Demon.

"Oh, I just decided to come back and help Gruncle Stan. Y'know." He held up a carry sack that she hadn't noticed before. "I brought lunch, I didn't know what you normally ate, so I just got what I usually get. Hope you don't mind."

"You didn't need to do that, I'm perfectly capable of feeding myself." She huffed, never feeling more insulted. Though honestly, she didn't know how much longer she would be able to feed herself. Summer and Fall, were easy. Winter seemed to kill half the tourist business, if not most of it. And Winter was only beginning.

"I know, I know you are. I didn't mean you couldn't. I just thought..." He started.

"You just thought what? That I can't..."

"Alright... Enough. Can't we just sit and talk like two people, without fighting?" He snapped at her. "This is how it always is with us Pacifica. We are always bickering, or ignoring one another. Look your parents left you high and dry. Your friends turned into asses. You've lost everything you once had. I don't care. That's not why I always came over, or why I'm here now. I just want to be here. Can't you understand that?"

"Why?" Why in the world would he want to be around her? She wasn't pleasant to be around, she had begun to realize that. Sure, when she still had her parent's money, there had been a reason... but now, when she was broke, penniless. Why did he want to be around her? It made no sense to her! "If it wasn't for that..."

AVAVA

She was interrupted by everything around her freezing in place. Even the flames in the fireplace had stopped. Dipper just stared at her, and when she moved, his eyes didn't even follow.

"What in the Hell?" She asked waving her hand in front of Dipper.

"Trying to get help? Tsk. Tsk. Tsk." A elderly women walked out of the shadows. She leaned heavily on a cane, even though Pacifica was sure she didn't need it. Maybe it was for dramatic effect. Or maybe it was just something the Demon did, to keep up appearances, as if it was habit.

"You never said I couldn't tell anyone!" It was true. She had never thought to tell anyone, because she doubted anyone would believe her. But this was Dipper. He was the boy that got rid of a ghost in her mansion. He was always going on and on about weird occulty stuff. So why couldn't she tell him?

"I didn't say you couldn't, and I didn't say you could. But the fact of the matter is that this is a lesson that you need to learn on your own. Even if I allowed you to tell someone. It couldn't be him." She said as she sat down on a chair, in the nearly unused dining area.

"And why not?"

"You think it's a coincident that I come back, the same day, almost the same time, as he came to your door? Or that it was random that I left when he went home?" The old women chuckled. "No no, deary. He's the teacher, so to speak. What you need to learn, can only be learned from him. Not to say, that others couldn't teach it. But, just that, you'll only be able to learn it from him. Because you see him as different."

AVAVA

"If it wasn't for what?" Dipper asked, causing her to jump. She looked around, everything was in motion again, and the elderly lady was gone.

"If... it... w-wasn't for... for..." This was hard. She'd lost everything. Everything! She didn't even know if the Demon Lady was real or some delusion she'd created when she lost everything. Was she going insane? Or was this real. "I... I think... I-I'm going crazy."

She closed her eyes, as she sank to her knees. She didn't want to cry in front of this boy. Hell, she didn't want to cry in front of anyone. A Northwest didn't cry. They didn't give up. And they didn't...

What does it matter what a Northwest does? They left me. They abandoned me. They treated everyone like garbage. She had treated people badly, all because she was a Northwest. She had even used that as an excuse for it. Like being a Northwest gave her the right to walk all over people. What was wrong with her?

Tears started to run down her cheeks. She brought her hands up to her face, in an attempt to hide it from the world, from the cabin... from the boy that now had his arms wrapped around her. Just when did he embrace her? How dare he touch her. She would put him in his place, she thought to herself. She shocked herself when she wrapped her arms around his waist, and buried her face in his neck.

She didn't miss human contact. No. You would have to have had human contact to miss it. And her mother and father... they'd die, before hugging or embracing her. Her friends... or so called friends, had been too afraid of her, to even touch her. So she didn't miss this, because this wasn't normal for her. It was foreign to her. But it was nice... it was actually kind of nice.

"It'll be alright, Pacifica." He murmured in her ear.

"No it won't." She muttered back to him. It was nice that he was making an attempt to make her feel better, but she knew it couldn't ever be alright. Even if she wasn't insane, and the Demon lady was real, she didn't know what lesson she was supposed to learn. She was supposed to learn it from Dipper. But she couldn't see anything that she needed to learn.

"Sure it will." He pulled back and stared back at her, with those big brown eyes. How had she never noticed how beautiful they were?

Focus Pacifica!

"I don't see how. I don't even see how I'm gonna make it through the Winter." She mumbled looking away from his eyes. She had to look away. She couldn't allow herself to get distracted. Couldn't...

"I came back here, to try and help. And before you say anything. I know you don't need it. I know you could do it on your own... But I want to." He pulled her close to him again.

Could it be, that this boy actually liked her? For who she was, and not for her social status, or money. Of which she had none, by the way. But this boy actually cared for her, or so it seemed. But he couldn't stay... it wouldn't be fair to him.

"You have school. And things."

"I graduated."

"You're only fifteen."

"Yeah? And? I happen to be smart."

"Not if you came back here for me. I'm not worth it."


	3. Chapter 3

AVAVA

( Pacifica Northwest )

VAVAV

She sat at the kitchen table of her little cabin, where Dipper had told her to sit, and stay put. As if she was some puppy! The nerve of that boy!

She glanced over at him, as he pealed off the tape and cardboard that had been what was covering the windows. In fact, that's why she was sentenced to 'kitchen table land', she had tried stopping him, from removing the cardboard. Telling him all that would do was let in the cold air. She didn't know that while he had been gone earlier that day, he had went to the hardware store.

Pacifica watched as he carefully cut pieces of glass, and fit them into the spots that he had cleared the broken glass from.

Alright, so the boy was semi redeemable.

But she had never asked for his help.

"Hmph," She crossed her arms and looked away from him. Then she got even more aggravated when he started humming some song.

Couldn't he at least pay attention to her, when she was ignoring him?

"Alright, next." He said happily, as he moved away from the last window that he had fixed. He tossed a couple more logs onto the fire, and smiled over at her. Smug Pines boy.

"Y'know, I didn't..." She started, as he continued past her. Then she muttered, "...ask for your help."

Didn't matter, it would be dark soon, and no matter what. He couldn't work in the dark, so maybe she'd finally get some peace and quiet from him, and she wouldn't have to see that smug... admittedly cute... smile on his face.

"Alright, next lets see what we can do with this stove." He walked over to the wood burning stove. She had attempted to use it, but couldn't figure it out. All she managed was to fill the small cabin with smoke. "The floo is stuck." He muttered to himself, while looking through one of the bags that he had brought from the store. He pulled out a can of something, and sprayed a little level, hit it a few times with a hammer, then she heard something move, like metal grinding on metal. A few more sprays, and the grinding sound, turned into a sliding sound. "That should do it."

"I don't have anything to store food in, that works without electricity, anyways. So... I don't see the point." She muttered.

"This stove will put off more heat, for longer, than the fireplace will. Because the stove is cast-iron. The metal will radiate heat, for a long time, even after the fire is out." He got up, and went to her sink. At least the water worked, even if she had to take cold showers.

"Aren't you supposed to be helping Mr. Pines, or something?" She asked, just wishing that he would go away. She couldn't take much more of this charity from him. Not when she had treated him so badly. She didn't deserve it, and it was eating her up inside.

"Stan, can handle himself. Tourist season is over, so he's spending his time in front of the TV. Helping him out, was just a reason to get me back here, so I could check on you." Dipper said while he did something next to the nonworking refrigerator. Then he went to, what she assumed was, the fuse box. Another thing that was pointless. He replaced the fuses. "That should do it."

"That should do what?" she looked at him.

"You'll see." He smiled as he walked passed her and out of the cabin. She wanted to know what he was doing, but it was too cold out there to play that. No way was she going out there to follow him. Not when she was sure he might throw snow at her.

Like she hadn't seen him and his sister, throw snow at each other a couple years ago, when they came for Christmas.

Something that sounded like a giant chainsaw roared to life outside, causing her to jump, and again when the lights in the cabin came on.

"What did you do?" She asked Dipper as he walked back in, that semi adorable cocky grin on his face.

"I just hooked up one of Stan's extra generators." Dipper shrugged, "Not like he'll miss it."

"Well that's fine and all, but I can't afford the gas for it." She hated admitting that to him. To anyone that knew who she was. A Northwest that couldn't afford something. That was unheard of.

"Then I suppose I'll have to buy the gas, for now. Until I get the electricity turned on." She started to protest, and he stopped her. "Look, I can't let you freeze to death. And I can't let you live like this. Pacifica. It's okay to let me help. Sometimes people need help. And to me, its only right to help someone when they need it, and ask for it. And yes... I know you didn't ask for it. I know. But you didn't need to. I want to help"

Maybe he was right. Maybe people needed, and deserved help sometimes. Maybe she could have been nicer to people that needed help. Like her friends, and people around town.

"So, what do you want for dinner?" Dipper asked, as he sat next to her at the table.

"Greasy's?" Pacifica threw out there. That's where she had been going, since Susan had been helping her out, and letting her help out around the diner, if she didn't have any money. At least she could eat, if she earned it.

"Well, I kinda wanted to see how the stove worked, so how about we pick up something for tonight, see how the refrigerator works, and if stays cold throughout the night, and tomorrow. We'll get more stuff to put in it." He smiled slightly looking at her. "What do you say?"

"If you insist." She muttered, still not wanting the charity. "But... only if I pay you back."

"You don't have to do that." Dipper looked up at her. "But... if it makes you feel better, then alright."

"It does." Him helping wasn't... so bad. But she did want to pay him back for it. Because, well... her pride demanded it.

AVAVA

She leaned back on the couch, her stomach felt more full than it had in a very long time. Who knew Dipper could cook? She sure didn't, but she was glad that he could, because she would have messed up if she tried. Her eyes were slowly drifting closed as she felt the cushion she was on shift. She opened her eyes looking at Dipper who was now sitting next to her, his head back, and eyes closed.

"So, you're planning to come back tomorrow, huh?" That was stupid, of course he was. He already mentioned doing something tomorrow, but her mind was too tired to remember what it was.

"Coming back, would imply that I was leaving." Dipper's voice was soft, sounded as if he was nearing sleep.

"Y-You can't stay here! I've only got the couch... and... and... it might be big enough for two... but we'd have to be like... pressed together." She stammered.

"'Pressed together'?. Don't you mean cuddle?" Dipper smirked, even his eyes still closed.

"I... I... D-D-Dipper, we can't do th-that!" She continued to stammer. What did Dipper think? That he would fix a few things, and she would just spread her...

"I'm messing with you, Pacifica. I have an air mattress, and pillows and a blanket. They are out in the car." He laughed a little. "C'mon, Pacifica. You know me better than that. I wouldn't expect that from you. You might have lost a lot, but you still have your pride, and dignity. No way would I ever try to take those."

AVAVA

"Jesus, is that an air mattress or a blowup raft?" Pacifica just stared at the thing that was the size of a king size bed.

"It's mine and Mabel's. For when we went camping. Mom and dad thought it was a good idea to have a big one, 'cause well Mabel kicks in her sleep, a lot. So, I wouldn't get hurt at night. It takes up the entire tent. Which is neat, sometimes. Not all the time." Dipper muttered while putting the sheet on it.

It was big enough, that two Mabel and Dipper's could sleep on the bed, and not meet in the middle of the night.

"Alright, I put logs in the stove, so we should stay warm all night. If it starts to get cold, make a fire in the fireplace. I don't want you putting logs in the stove, until we get something you can use to open it. I don't want you to get burned. Alright?"

"Alright." She muttered laying on the couch. When was the last time that someone cared if she got hurt? She couldn't remember.

She had to admit, that with the windows fixed, and the holes in the cabin filled, it was a lot warmer. Then again, it could have been because the stove put out more heat.

"Goodnight, Pacifica." How long had it been since someone said 'goodnight' to her? Even her parents hadn't said it to her... Maybe Butler did. Or one of the maids. But even that, had been a long time ago.

"Goodnight, Dipper." She replied, after a moment's hesitation.

AVAVA

Pacifica pulled her blanket tighter around her, she was barely awake. But she was awake enough to know that it was much colder than it was when she had fallen asleep. She opened her eyes slowly, and gazed around her little cabin.

She looked over at the dark fireplace, and sighed. It wouldn't have been the first time the fire had gone out on her in the middle of the night. There wasn't a good way to judge how much wood she needed. Some of it burned faster, some slower. So she never knew how much she actually needed.

Sighing again, she pushed herself off the couch, and started towards the fireplace, keeping her blanket wrapped around her.

Part of her missed the days where she could just order someone to do something like this. Yet, another part of her actually liked doing it on her own. Yes, she didn't have the money she had before, or the power. But she had something she hadn't really had before. She had freedom. Real freedom to do what she wanted.

One shuffled step after another, until her foot hit something, causing her to tumble forward.

She braced herself expecting to his the hard, cold, wooden floor, and was mildly surprised, when she hit something soft, warm, and groaned.

"Pacifica?" Who was...

'Oh yeah,' she thought to herself. Dipper had spent the night on his air mattress. Maybe if she just ignored everything, he'd go back to sleep.

"Pacifica? Are you alright?" He shifted, and she looked up, hoping he couldn't tell she was awake.

'Maybe if he thinks I was sleep walking,' Another thought... It could work.

"Strange." He mumbled, then picked her up. "Can't have you half off the mattress. C'mon," she spoke to her, even thought she was sure, that he thought she was sleeping. "I better get the fire started."

She had almost forgotten that it was cold... if it was so cold, why did she feel like she was burning up?

When he returned, she felt the air mattress shift, and a blanket get tossed over her. Wasn't so bad. And the mattress was actually pretty comfortable.

AVAVA

When she awoke she was, unexpectedly alone on the blowup mattress. What was also unexpected was how she felt. She felt relaxed and rested. It had been a long time, since she had slept on anything that wasn't the couch, and her body seemed to love the mattress. Maybe when Dipper left, she might ask him, if he could loan it to her for a while.

She sat up in looking around. No sign of Dipper, except the smell something that smelt delicious.

Upon inspection of the kitchen, she found a note from Dipper, Telling her that her breakfast was on the counter, and that he had went to his great uncles gimmick shop, and would be back soon.

"Awful sweet of him, if you ask me." Someone said, and she agreed, nodding her head.

"Yeah, he is sweet, isn't... Hey..." She finally realized who the voice was. "What did I do this time?"

"Nothing, just coming to check on you... And you seem to be learning, what you need to." They lady, walked heavily on her cane, into the kitchen.

"So... does that mean, its over?" She asked, wondering if this was over. If she could finally be happy again.

"No. You're learning, which is good. But there is still a bit more." The lady, looked and sounded much kinder than before. "Shouldn't be long now. But you should know. When the curse is lifted... you won't get your old life back. What's done is done. I just won't interfere anymore."

"You know what? Maybe it was for the best." She mumbled. She hated the old lady for everything that happened to her. But still, she wouldn't have learned so much on her own. She wouldn't have earned anything. She wouldn't have gained freedom. "I don't want my old life back. Okay, so the money was nice... but that's all."

"Good. There is hope for you yet, Miss... Northwest... doesn't seem to fit anymore. Since a Northwest, would have never accepted anything less than riches and fame."

"Hmm. I guess your right. Just call me Pac..." She paused in the lady was gone. "Maybe I should call her Here-then-gone."

"You're awake." Dipper's voice came from behind her as the door opened. No wonder. The Lady, always left when Dipper showed up.

"Yeah, thanks for breakfast. You must have gotten up early." She said looking down at her plate.

"Yeah, but it was worth it, because it was for you." He said simply. Why did he always have to be so cute? So... charming? It was nice, but she knew that she didn't deserve it. She shook her head. "So what's in all those bags?"

"Oh... Christmas stuff. Y'know, decorations and such." Christmas, she had almost forgotten about Christmas. One would think a spoiled rich girl would always be awaiting Christmas. A time of the year when she got presents. She had it all, so presents didn't matter. Her family didn't gather around Christmas morning. Nothing she got had ever been wrapped. And a tree, in the mansion? Yeah right. Like her parents would allow something so dirty into their home.

One could argue, if they bought a faux tree, that it wouldn't be dirty. She had once brought it up to her father. His only reply was, 'Plastic tree? And be like some... some... lower class person? No, I won't have it. Nor will I have a real one. What does one need with a tree anyways.'

She couldn't actually argue, she didn't know what any of it had to do with anything. Gift giving, trees, decorations, a big fat man in red. None of it would go together, if Christmas didn't exist.

"Got a tree out in Stan's truck, that I'm borrowing. Some food out in the car. Stuff we'll need for a while." He said, putting down the bags.

"Oh, that's... for a while?" He didn't plan on leaving? He planned on staying here, with her? Who in their right mind, would give up a house, and actual house. Even if it was filled with cheap, fake mysteries. To be in a shack, with her?

"Yep, I plan to be here... well..." he shrugged, "Until you don't want me here, I suppose."

AVAVA

( Dipper Pines )

VAVAV

He couldn't believe that Pacifica hadn't ever had a Christmas tree. It was actually nice to see surprise in her eyes. The look of discovering something new. The girl that once had it all, seen it all. Found wonderment in something that everyone else had seen, and enjoyed for generations. It made him glad that he could give her a happy memory.

On the other side of the same coin, he couldn't help but despise her parents. What kind of parents would keep something like this from their child? One that wanted her to have everything, all the other children wanted. But deprived her what all the other children had.

Happiness.

Fun.

Freedom.

The ability to show a full range of emotions, and not just... whatever they were.

This was the first time, since he arrived the day before, that he had seen her look happy. Completely happy. A genuine smile on her face, and not like the one that would fade after a while.

AVAVA

He stood next to her as she admired their work. A simple tree in the beginning, now decorated with various colored glass ornaments, flashing lights, and reflective garland, that made the lights look more plentiful. His arm found it's way over her shoulder, and she didn't push him away. She didn't flinch, she just leaned towards him. Not a complete show of affection, but it was a start.

"So, what do you think?" Dipper asked her after a moment of enjoying the closeness of being with Pacifica. He had a crush on her, had since before he left Gravity Falls, after their first Summer there. But she had always been unattainable.

He had wondered if he was only interested in females that were so far out of his league, that he stood no chance with.

"Wonderful." She whispered, just staring at the tree.

He tired to think about the first time that he had ever seen a Christmas Tree. Tired to remember the wonderment that Pacifica was now feeling. But it had been so long ago, that he couldn't. Him and Mabel had been too young. But Pacifica... she would remember this for the rest of her life.

"Mabel's coming to visit for Christmas, with our parents." He said softly, wondering if she would want to go to the Shack, and enjoy the holidays with his family.

"Oh..." Her smile fades slowly, as she looked up at him. "It's alright, you can go... I'll just..."

"No!" She flinched at his outburst, and he felt horrible, hoping this wouldn't ruin her moment of wonderment. "Sorry... But I wanted to know if you wanted to go with me. You've never met our parents. And I think the only time that you were ever at the Shack was during that dance contest."

"You... actually want me to come?" her voice was a little above a whisper.

"No." Her face fell a bit, "I wanted to spend the holiday with you. But Mabel... she didn't want to not be here, We've never had a separate Christmas. So... they decided to come. So, I want you to come with me."

"I-I don't know."

"There'll be plenty of food. Lots to do, games, people to talk to, that want to meet you." He reached out cupping her cheek, hoping that she wouldn't get upset by the action. "The real you. The you that I always knew was inside."

AVAVA

( Pacifica Northwest )

VAVAV

She leaned into his hand as he cupped her cheek. Warmed flowed through her that had nothing to do with the wood stove. "The real you. The you that I always knew was inside."

Stay here. And mourn her past. Mourn the materials that she could have had, but wouldn't have been happy.

Go with him. And enjoy her new life. Less materials in her life. But so much more to enjoy.

Like before, everything around her froze in place.

"You're choice now." The voice called from all around her.

"Which do I choose?" She asked. Not that she thought the older lady would help her. This was a demon, she believed, that was bend on destroying her entire life.

'If she destroyed my life. Why have I been happier than I was before?' She asked herself.

'I need to learn a lesson.' She looked at Dipper, frozen in time, until she decided. Until she made her choice. 'He is the teacher.'

"Before you decide." The voice sounded kind, but that could be a lie, or it could be truth. "Tell me what he has taught you."

"He... showed me..." She thought about it for a moment. He had taught her a lot. A lot more than she even realized until this moment. "He taught me that kindness should be given, even if the other person isn't very kind."

She remembered when she was upset about him fixing the window, and the harsh things she had said to him, and how he just smiled, and continued on about his business.

"He showed me that material items, didn't mean anything without someone to share them with." Not only that, he had shown her a real Christmas. One that she would never forget... even if it wasn't Christmas yet. "That... sometimes people need help, and if you have it, you should..." she realized what she was supposed to learn.

"Yes?" The voice urged her on.

"I'm sorry. I... I should have helped you when you asked... I never realized what it was like for others. I have always had everything, I... I didn't understand that it was hard for some." She had known that others were not as rich as she had been. But she didn't understand that they went without necessities. How naïve had she been? She remembered the feeling in her chest, when people had passed her by when she needed help, before she found the shack. How hopeless it felt.

How she had cried herself to sleep, wherever she could find. How on nights when it rained, nothing was really dry enough for her to lay on, or under.

Remembered the rumble in her stomach upon smelling food that she couldn't afford. What it was like to cry out that it wasn't fair.

The feeling of her price shaking, and starting to crack, when she had to beg Susan at the diner for food. Begged to do anything. Felt small, when she realized, those she had stepped on before, heard her begging now. How her former friends looked down on her.

Called her trash.

Laughed about how far she fell.

The voices around her, talking about her.

Heard them laugh at her.

Saw the Pity, in their eyes.

The heartache, she felt when she heard them talking about going home.

"What's wrong, Pacifica?" Dipper's voice caused her to break down. Her tears streamed down her face, and she wrapped her arms around the boy in front of her. The boy, that no matter what, had seen something in her that was redeemable. Before her fall, and after. "If you don't want to..."

"No! I want to. I just... I'll go anywhere with you." It was true. She would. And it was all going fast, but she didn't want to let it pass her by. This boy was her salvation. Regardless of what the elderly women said. Pass or fail, she didn't want this boy to leave her. She could lose everything else, but as long as she had him, she wouldn't have lost anything important.

He wiped her eyes, and kissed her forehead.

"Grab your coat, and we'll go." He smiled.

She walked to the dining room, where her coat had been draped over the back of one of the chairs. On the table sat a single sheet of paper, with writing on it.

"What's that?" Dipper asked helping her put her coat on.

"Nothing. Just a reminder." She felt his arm around her, she put her arm around his waist as they left the little home.

The entire way she smiled as she thought about the boy, the shack, the tree, and the note, left by the Lady.

'You passed. You're forgiven. Remember your lesson, and never let go of what's important.'


End file.
